Storage and discharge bins



- June 12, 1962 R. L. PARSONS 3,038,566

STORAGE AND DISCHARGE BINS Filed April 17, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR ROBERT L. PARSONS F 1. BY

ATTORNEY June 12, 1962 R. L. PARSONS STORAGE AND DISCHARGE BINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1959 INVENTOR ROBERT L. PARSONS ATTORNEY Filed April 17, 1959 June 12, 1962 R. L. PARSONS 3,038,566

STORAGE AND DISCHARGE BINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IVNVENTOR ROBERT L. PARSONS ATTORNEY BY fldm United aliases Patent Grins Patented June 12, 1962 3,638,566 S-TGRAGE AND DISCHARGE BINS Robert L, Parsons, l arhersburg, W. Va, assignor to Parhersburg-Aetna Uorperation, Farlrershurg, W. 1a., a corporation of West Virginia Filed Apr. 17, I959, Ser. No. $97,168 11 Claims. (Cl. 189-4) This invention relates to storage and discharge bins, and particularly to such structures for use in the bulk storage of grains or ground feed.

An important object of the invention is to provide a structure capable of prefabrication as to all of its component parts and wherein the structure is provided with preferably a plurality of discharge hoppers for various bin compartments, and wherein dilferent types of hoppers may be used with a single bin design according to the particular use to which the structure is to be put.

A'further object is to provide a storage and discharge bin structure of the character referred to wherein the bin structure may be completely assembled and mounted on suitable supports, after which the discharge hoppers may be assembled and put in position, thus permitting the use with a given bin structure of discharge hoppers of different designs for different purposes.

A further object is to provide such a structure wherein a prefabricated compartmented storage bin may be assembled and mounted on a supporting structure, after which the discharge hoppers are assembled with respect to the structure by securing them to the bin structure wholly independently of the supporting structure,

A further object is to provide such a structure which is particularly adapted to be supported above the floor or ground by a supporting structure which permits the discharging from the hoppers of grain into trucks, mixers, etc., and wherein, in a particular embodiment of the invention, a plurality of discharge hoppers converge in close relation to each other but are so mounted as to permit the arrangement therebetween of struts connected to the supporting structure. A further object is to provide a structure of this type wherein rectangular bin walls are provided, thus subjecting the walls to horizontal components of bulging forces, and to utilize bracing means for the walls to prevent distortion thereof, including the particular arrangement and connection of the hoppers to the bin walls.

A further object is to provide in a structure of this type a novel interconnection of discharge hoppers and bin walls whereby, after complete installation and use of the structure, the hoppers can be removed and replaced by different types of hoppers without disturbing the bin structure or its connection to the supporting structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end elevation,

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 to a reduced scale,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 3, with the view extended above the plane of section of FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 1 and 3, the numeral ltl designates a bin structure as a whole which is shown in the present instance as being compartmented by crossed walls 11 and 112 (FIGURE 3) to form four bin spaces I3. It will become apparent that the bin structure It) may be divided to form any desired number of bin units.

The bottom of the bin structure is shown in the present instance as being supported on a fabricated steel supporting structure indicated as a whole by the numeral 15. It will become apparent that any desired type of supporting structure may be used, and the present structure, for substantially elevating the bin structure, is provided with corner legs 16. One end or side of the supporting structure is shown in FIGURE 2 as also including a center leg 17. The various legs are connected and braced with respect to each other by suitable girts and struts i9 and Ztl, certain of which bear a particular relationship to the discharge hoppers as further described below. a

The supporting structure further includes relatively heavy side 'I-beams 22 and transverse I-beams 23, one of which (FIGURE 4) is shown extending transversely of the base structure in vertical alinement with one of the bin partition walls 11. It will be apparent in this connection that the bin structure is formed of a plurality of superimposed tiers connected in a manner to be described, the number of tiers depending upon the desired height and capacity of the bin. In FIGURE 1, a fourtiered bin has been illustrated, and such tiers are numbered successively, from the bottom of the structure, 216, 27, 28, and 29. It will be apparent that the crossed or partition walls II and 12 are formed of superimposed sections in vertical alinement with each other, the lower two sections being shown in FIGURE 4 and indicated by the numerals SI and 32, these being wall sections of the two lower tiers Z6 and 27. Similarly, the outer walls of the successive tiers are respectively formed of vertically alined exterior wall sections, two of which are illustrated in FIGURE 5 and are indicated by the numerals 34 and 35. These outer wall sections, in practice, are not continuous around the bin structure but are formed of prefabricated subsections vertically secured together in any suitable manner, for example, by bolting together flanges 35 (FIGURE 1). The manner of securing such sections to each other forms no part of the present invention.

Referring to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the lower section 31 of each of the crossed walls 11 and 12 has its lower end turned transversely as at 40 and bolted or otherwise secured to the top of one of the beams 23. An angle iron at is secured against the wall section 31 and is secured to the same beam flange. Similarly, the lower ends of the external Wall sections 34 are turned outwardly at an angle as at 43 (FIGURE 5) and bolted or otherwise secured to one side of the top flange of the beam 22. An inner angle iron 44 is similarly secured to the wall 34 and to the inner portion of the upper flange of each beam 22. Thus it will be apparent that all of the external and crossed walls of the beam structure are directly vertically supported on beams forming parts of the supporting structure 15.

Each of the bin units 13 is provided with a discharge hopper, and these hoppers are individually indicated as a whole by the numeral 48. In the present instance, the hopper structures are identical with each other, but it will become apparent that hoppers of different designs may be employed. In the present case, each hopper is formed of an upper section 49, and such section is formed of four vertically separate or divided pieces of sheet material, and each such sheet of material is provided with an upper vertical flange 50 with the material therebelow sloping downwardly and inwardly relative to the associated hopper. In connection with those elements 49 which have their flanges 5t secured to the wall sections 31, each downwardly and inwardly sloping wall portion is indicated by the numeral 51, and, therebeneath, the material extends downwardly vertically as at 52. Thus there are provided between the adjacent walls of the various hoppers individual spaces 53 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 4). With respect to those members 49 which have their upper flanges 50 secured to external wall portions of the bin, each downwardly and inwardly sloping wall is indicated by the numeral 55, and such slope continues to the bottom edge of the associated member 49. The end portions of the members 49 overlap as shown in FIGURE 3 and are bolted or otherwise secured together as at 56. The members 49 are made separate from each other for connection into a substantially rectangular structure to permit their being separately inserted into the lower end of the bin structure and assembled and connected to each other after they are in place.

In the present instance, each hopper structure 48 comprises an intermediate section 58 and a lower section 59, both of which may be completely assembled prior to being placed in position, since they are arranged in the open beneath the bin structure as a whole. The various sections of the bin unit may be connected in any suitable manner by horizontal joints 60 and 61.

Each of the hopper sections 58 and 59 has its inner walls 63 and 64 vertically arranged in the present instance in vertical alinement with the wall portions 52 of the members 49. The remaining or external wall sections 66 and 67 of the hopper sections 58 and 59 slope downwardly and inwardly in alinement with the wall sections 55 of the members 49. Thus assembled, each hopper unit comprises adjacent vertical parallel walls providing the spaces 53, and outer downwardly and inwardly sloping walls, each hopper having its walls therefore terminating in a relatively small discharge opening 70 (FIGURE 3). These openings in the present instance are arranged relatively close to each other for the feeding of material from the bin units into a single receiver, which may be the body of a truck, a weighing machine, a mixer, or the like. Thus a relatively large bin structure of great capacity may discharge material within a very restricted area. Obviously, the discharge openings 70 will be controlled by suitable gates or valves which are normally closed.

Centrally of the length of the bin structure and at opposite ends thereof, vertical plates 72 (FIGURES 1 and 4) are fixed to the associated beam 22 or 23 and welded thereto as at 73. At least two of the struts shown in FIGURE 1 will extend downwardly and outwardly in the space 53 shown in FIGURE 4, and the upper end of one such strut 20 is shown in FIGURE 4, and is bolted or otherwise secured as at 75 to the associated plate 72. The space 53 in FIGURE 4 thus provides adequate room for connecting bracing struts with respect to the elements of the supporting structure.

As is well known, a storage bin having flat sides, as in the present case, has a much greater capacity than a storage unit of circular cross section of the same horizontal dimensions. A flat-wall structure, however, has its walls subjected to substantial horizontal components of force tending to bulge these walls outwardly. It will be noted that the lower tier 26 of the bin, at a point spaced from the upper end thereof, is provided around the external wall thereof with a bracing angle iron 79 preferably welded in position, thus providing the wall sections 31 with substantial rigidity. The members 49 are preferably connected to the wall sections 31 between the angle iron 79 and the lower extremities of these wall sections. The flanges 50 tend to stiffen the wall sections 34 to which they are secured, and this stiffening is enhanced by bending the material of the members 49 between the flanges 50 and walls 51 and 55.

Where the outer wall sections of the bin structure are connected to each other, such connection is made in a manner so as to stiffen the wall sections. For example, in FIGURE 5, the lower extremities of the wall sections 35 around the bin structure are turned outwardly as at 81 to form a stiffening flange, while the upper extremities of the wall sections 34 are extended outwardly as at 82, also to form stiffening flanges. The flanges 81 and 82 are bolted or otherwise secured together as at 83, and each flange 81 has its outer extremity turned downwardly as at 84 for additional stiffening. Preferably leakproof packing (not shown) is arranged between the flanges 81 and 32. The same connecting and stiffening structure, except as described below, is used to connect the sections of the crossed walls 11 and 12, as shown in FIGURE 4. Parts similar to the connecting and stiffening elements corresponding to those in FIGURE 5 have been indicated by the same numerals in FIGURE 4. In addition to the elements shown in FIGURE 5, the connecting means between the wall sections 31 and 32, for example, preferably include short spaced angle clip irons 86 which, of course, may be employed if desired in conjunction with the corresponding joint in FIGURE 5. Behind the vertical flanges of the clip irons 86 is preferably inserted a depending flange 87 carried by a downwardly and inwardly sloping plate 38. Actually, this plate and its flange 87 are quite thin. The flange 87 is merely forced between the vertical flanges of the clip irons 86 and the wall section 32. A plate 90, similar to the plate 86, has a downturned flange 91 forced between the vertical flanges of spaced clip irons 92 and the wall section 31. The purpose of the plates 86 and 90 is to prevent the accumulation of granular material in the bin on the tops of the bracing and connecting elements between the bin wall sections. The flanges S7 and 91 are inserted behind the clip irons 36 and 92 prior to the tightening of the fastening elements between the clip irons and the flanges to which they are attached. Tightening such fastening elements draws the clip irons tight against the flanges 87 and 91 and clamps such flanges against the adjacent bin wall.

As previously stated, any number of superimposed sections, 26, 27, etc. may be employed with such sections connected and braced by the means shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The upper ends of the superimposed sections are identical and a bin structure, regardless of its height, may be provided at the top thereof with a suitable roof structure 95 which forms no part of the present invention.

Operation The base structure is erected from suitable prefabricated parts such as those shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. It will become apparent that structural steel need not be employed, although this is preferred. A satisfactory supporting structure of wood may be erected if desired. The various individual sections which go to make up the bin structure are shipped to the site and assembled. Various elements of the successive tiers 26, 27, etc. are placed in position on the supporting structure in assembled relation and preferably bolted together. Each s t of members 49 is assembled within each bin unit coilveniently from the bottom thereof and secured together with the flanges 50 secured to the various wall sections of the bin structure.

The hopper sections 58 and 59 then may be assembled and secured in position as shown and the gate or valve (not shown) mounted with respect to each lower hopper opening 70. With the roof structure in position, suitable openings in the roof structure, normally capped, may be utilized for filling each bin unit with granular material, usually a different material such as different grains or ground feed which it may be desired to mix.

With the hopper arrangement shown, the four hopper openings 70 are arranged within a restricted total area, thus facilitating the bringing together of various ground feed or grain into the receptacle arranged therebeneath. In many installations, the lower extremities of the hopper may be arranged a suflicient distance above the ground to allow for the driving of a truck therebeneath to be loaded with the granular material.

Where a diflt'erent hopper arrangement is desired, different hopper installations may be made. For example, if it is desired to discharge material from the four corners of the bin structure, each hopper structure will be installed 180 from its position shown in FIGURE 3. It will be apparent that the hopper structures shown may be variously arranged with their discharge openings 70 positioned as desired in accordance with the particular use to be made of the structure. It is not essential, of course, that the openings 70 be arranged beneath corner portions of each bin unit since they may be arranged centrally thereof by properly designing the hopper units.

Regardless of the particular type of hopper unit employed, such units will have upper flange portions 50 secured to the vertical wall sections of the bin structure, and the particular arrangement of the wall sections 51 and 52 (FIGURE 4) and section 55 (FIGURE 5) will depend upon the desired location of the hopper openings 7 0.

If, after installation, it is desired to change the type of hopper structure, the hopper sections are disassembled, the members 49 disconnected from each other, and the flanges 50 disconnected from their adjacent walls. Hopper sections 58 and 59 and the members 49 may be dropped down to the floor or ground. A difierent type of hopper structure then may be assembled in the same manner as before.

One of the important features of the present construction lies in the fact that the bin structure has its walls directly mounted on units of the supporting structure as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, while the hopper units are connected to the vertical wall sections of the bin struture wholly independently of the supporting structure. It is this fact which permits a complete assembling of a base structure and the complete assembling and mounting thereon of the bin and roof structures prior to the placing in position of the selected hopper units. The arrangement referred to also permits the relatively easy replacement of the hopper units with units of different types having their discharge openings located at different points. Moreover, each member 49 has its flange 50 secured to one of the vertical wall sections of the bin structure which tends to stiffen such wall sections, while the stiffening action is increased by the bend provided in the material of the members 49 between the flanges 50 and the sloping wall sections therebeneath. Thus the walls of the lowermost tier 26, which is subjected to the greatest horizontal components of forces, is braced by the hopper units themselves. The spaces 53 not only provide for the mounting of certain struts 20, but they also provide access to the bolts which secure together the members 49 to facilitate the connection and removal of such members. Each wall section 31 and 34 (FIGURES 4 and 5) is additionally braced by the associated seating flanges 40 and 43, together with their stifiening angle irons 41 and 44.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of the parts may be made as do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A storage bin and discharge structure comprising a supporting structure, a bin arranged above such structure and having surrounding walls the lower ends of which are directly supported on the top of said supporting structure, and a discharge hopper having an upper end corresponding in shape to and arranged within said bin, and detachable means directly fixing said upper hopper end to said walls thereof wholly independently of and above the top of said supporting structure, said hopper being supported solely by said detachable means.

2. A storage bin and discharge structure comprising a bin of polygonal horizontal section having flat vertical walls, a supporting structure having a top beneath said bin directly supporting the lower ends of said walls, and a discharge hopper having an upper end corresponding in horizontal shape to the cross sectional shape of said bin and arranged therewithin, and detachable means directly securing said upper hopper end to said walls of said bin above said top of said supporting structure wholly independently of said supporting structure, said hopper decreasing in cross sectional area toward its bottom and terminating in a lower discharge opening, said hopper being supported solely by said detachable means.

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein said upper end of said hopper is formed as a vertical flange having a portion engaging and secured to each wall of said bin at a point spaced above said supporting structure.

4. A structure according to claim 2 wherein said upper end of said hopper is formed as a vertical flange having a portion engaging and secured to each wall of said bin at a point spaced above said supporting structure, said hopper having portions angularly bent inwardly immediately adjacent said flanges to converge downwardly.

5. A storage bin and discharge structure comprising a bin of polygonal horizontal section having flat vertical walls, a supporting structure having a top beneath said bin directly supporting the lower ends of said walls, a discharge hopper having an upper section the upper extremity of which is arranged within said bin and the lower extremity of which is arranged therebelow, said upper hopper section being formed of a plurality of vertically divided sections for the separate successive introduction thereof into said bin from the lower end thereof and for the assembling of such sections within said bin, said upper extremity of said upper hopper section having flanges which, when said upper section is assembled, correspond in horizontal shape to the cross sectional shape of said bin and fit against the inner surfaces of said walls, and detachable means for securing said flanges to said walls above said top of said supporting structure wholly independently of said supporting structure, said hopper being supported solely by said means.

6. A structure according to claim 5 wherein the lower ends of said Walls are fixed to said supporting structure and said flanges are spaced above said lower ends of said walls whereby the securing of said flanges to said walls stifiens the latter.

7. A structure according to claim 5 wherein the lower ends of said walls are fixed to said supporting structure and said flanges are spaced above said lower ends of said walls whereby the securing of said flanges to said walls stitfens the latter, said upper hopper section at the lower extremities of said flanges being bent inwardly angularly with respect to said flanges to assist the latter in stiffening said Walls of said bin.

8. A storage bin and discharge structure comprising a bin structure having flat vertical surrounding walls, a dividing wall extending across said bin structure to divide the latter to form a pair of individual bins, a supporting structure on which the lower ends of said surrounding walls are supported and to which such walls are fixed, said supporting structure including a beam extending beneath said dividing wall and on which such wall rests, means for securing said dividing wall to said beam, a pair of hopper units each having an upper extremity arranged within one of said bins, said upper extremities corresponding in shape to and secured to said surrounding walls and to said dividing wall at a point spaced above the lower extremities of said surrounding and dividing walls, said hopper units having walls diverging downwardly from said dividing wall to provide a space within said diverging walls to provide access to said means for securing said dividing wall to said beam, said hopper units being fixed solely to said surrounding and dividing walls wholly independently of said supporting structure.

sesame 9. A structure according to claim 8 wherein the upper extremity of each hopper unit is provided with a vertical flange portion secured to an adjacent wall portion of the associated bin, each hopper unit having its walls bent relative to said flanges to converge downwardly to assist said flanges in stiffening the bin walls to which they are connected.

10. A structure according to claim 8 provided with a plate fixed to said beam therebeneath, said supporting structure comprising struts having ends arranged in said space, and means for connecting said struts to said plate.

11. A structure according to claim 8 wherein the upper extremity of each hopper unit is provided with a vertical flange portion secured to an adjacent wall potrion of the associated bin, each hopper unit having its walls bent relative to said flanges to converge downwardly to assist $5 said flanges in stiffening the bin walls to which they are connected, :1 vertical plate fixed to said beam therebeneath intermediate the ends thereof, said supporting structure comprising struts converging upwardly and having their upper ends engaging said plate, and means for securing said upper ends of said struts to said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,127,643 Kramer Feb. 9, 1915 1,243,873 Poppenhusen et al. Oct. 23, 1917 1,311,296 Poppenhusen et a1. July 29, 1919 2,583,836 Gruetjen Ian. 29, 1952 2,897,926 Hawthorne Aug. 4, 1959 

